Valve actuating mechanism



March 11, 1947. Q, R, CRANE, 213 ETAL- 2,417,353

VALVE ACTUATING MECHANISM l Filed Jan. 22, 1944 v agg?,

Patented Mar. 11, 1947 VALVE 'CTUATING lWE CHANISM Charles R. Crane, II, Chicago, and Alfred Mueller, Berwyn, Ill., assignors to Crane Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application January '22, 19414, .Serial No. 519,388

This linvention relates to a valve actuating mechanism or the like and pertains especially to hydraulically operated valves. It has for an object the provision of a Valve of this type which is relatively simple in operation, economical in construction a'nd which will 4not readily get out of order.

This invention further contemplates improvements in valves of this type wherein that portion of the closure stem projecting from the valve Vcasing is entirely enclosed and protected from harmful elements. Y

This invention furtherl Vcontemplates the provision of an improved stuing box gland having a telescopic structure arrangedv for engagement with packing disposed in opposing stuffing boxes. This gland is an improvement over the gland disclosed and claimed in the application nled 'November 29, 1943, under Serial No. 512,233.

It is a further object of this invention to provide piston means for reciprocabl'e movement in a cylinder for operating a valve closure member, together with pressure relief valve means operable when the piston reaches a predetermined position within the cylinder to cause a pressure drop.l

It is a further object of this invention to provide a, hydraulically operated valve embodying improved mechanical means for holding the valve closure member .in lopen position in the event of iluid leakage inthe hydraulic system.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a hydraulic operating means which may readily be mounted for use on standard valves installed in a pipeline and without removing the body of the valvefrom its position in the line.

This invention embodies other novel features, details of construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter set yforth in the specication and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, .forming part thereof, wherein:

The gure illustrates a vertical sectional view showing a valve embodying lfeatures of this invention, and in which the iiuid control piping is shown diag-rammatica-lly.

relative rotational movement thereof.

3 Claims. (Cl. 137-139) formed with an internally threaded lopening It to receive an externally threaded end portion 'I1 of a lower member i3 of a-hydraulic cylinder I9. The lower member I8 is bored -to receive the stem 9 and V.is provided with a stuffing box 2l.

The cylinder i9 comprises a sleeve portion 22 which is externally threaded at its ends .for engagement in internally lthreaded openings 23 .and

2li provided in `the lower member I3 and an upper member 26 respectively. A piston 2l is provided on the upper -end of the stem 9 and comprises a pair of opposing cup members 28', the cup forming collars 29 and 3|, and a spacing collar 32 positioned on a stud 33 vthreaded into the end of the stem and held against displacement .on the stud by the upper end of the stem 9 and the nuts 3d.

The stufllng boxes Il and -2I are lled with suitable packing 35. A telescopic gland structure 3l is provided with an upper gland member 38' and a lower gland member 3Q for engagement with the packing in the stuiiing boxes 2l and Il, respectively, and this structure also serves to enclose and protect that portion of the stem il which otherwise would be exposed to the elements. The -lower gland member 3Q is recessed at 4i for telescopic engagement with the upper gland member 38 which is externally threaded to receive an adjustment nut 42. A longitudinally extending slot i3 is formed in the wall of the recess il to receive and engage the outer end of a pin llt which is threaded into the lower end portion of the gland member 38 to permit relative axial movement of the members 3B and 39 and to prevent A gland arm t6 is threaded into the gland member 39 ior contact with the yoke arms l2 to prevent rotational movement of the gland structure during adjustment of the nut 42. The lower gland member 39 is preferably formed with opposing adjustment iingers il and i8 which may be positioned end-to-end, as shown, to provide fa maxmum length gland, or the fingers may be positioned side-by-side to provide a 'minimum length gland. If desired, protective lubricant for the stem 9 may befsupplied tothe recess. 4I by means of the usual form of lubricant fitting 49.

Fluid entry passages 5I and 52 are formed in the cylinder members I8 and 26 respectively, leading from the conduits 53 and 54, respectively, to the interior of the cylinder. A pump 5B is mounted on the bracket I3 to supply fluid under pressure through a conduit 51 and a four-way valve 53 to the conduits 53 and 54. A fluid return conduit 59 leads from the four-way valve t0 a suitable reservoir preferably provided conveniently within the pump casing as at 6l. A bypass conduit 62 leads from the conduit 51 to the return flow conduit 59 and has a pressure relief valve 63 interposed therein. A pressure gage 64 is interposed in the conduit l and provided with two indicator armsS'a` and 6l, one arm being manually set to indicate the pressure required to actuate and seat the valve closure member, the other arm functioning to indicate the fluid pressure vactually being applied currently to operate the valve. f

Within the cylinder I9, a control valve 68 is provided, comprising a stemV portion J69 havinga seat portion l! formed on oneend thereof and 4 mounted for reciprocable movement in said cylinder and connected to said closure stem, a stuffing box for packing provided at the upper end of the bonnet to receive the stern, a stuing box for packing provided at the lower end of said cylinder to receive the stem, a telescopic gland structure enclosing the stem and disposed between said stuiingV boxes for 'engaging the packing therein, and a plurality of adjusting means for varying the length of said gland structure, one of said V adjusting means comprising a step adjustment a seat portion 'l2 secured to the other end, the valve being positioned for reciprocable movement l in an aperture 13 formed in the' stud 33. Seats 'lll and 'l5 are formed at opposite ends of the aperture 13 for alternate engagement by the valve seat portions 'll and vl2 respectively. A uid chamber i6 is provided at the inner endof the aperture 'i3 to receivev fluid from thecylinder through a passage l1.

A plurality of spring pressed latches are pro-V vided on the upper member 26 of the cylinder I9 to yieldingly resist engagement and disengagement with a circumferential groove 'I8 formed in the collar 29. Each latch comprises a reciprocably movable finger 19, a threaded plug 8l and a compression spring 82 which normally acts to hold the finger inwardly against a stop shoulder 83.

f In the operation of the valve thus described, uid under pressure may be supplied by the pump 56 'or any other suitable means through the conduits 5l and 53 to raise the piston and thereby open the valve, or the fluid may be directed through the conduits 57 and 54 to lower the piston and thereby close the valve. When the piston is being raised to open the valve the uid also enters the chamber 'I6 through the passage TI and acts to move the seat portion 'H against the seat 74 to close the aperture 'I3 leading to the upper end of the cylinder. When the piston reaches its upper position the upper end of the control valve 68 engages the top wall of the cylinder and causes the seat portion Il to move out of engagement with its seat 74 to thereby permit fluid to pass from the lower end of the cylinder to the upper v end thereof; The latch fingers 'I9 engage the walls of the groove i8 when the piston is in its upper position to resist closing of the valve until fluid under pressure is applied to the piston.

Thus while this invention has been shown in but one form it is obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications ,without de,- parting from the spiritl thereof or the appended claims. l

We claim: Y 1. In a hydraulically operated valve or the like, the combination with a valve bonnet having a closure stem reciprocably mounted therein, of yoke arms mounted on said bonnet, a hydraulic cylinder mounted on said yoke arms, a piston providing a substantial overall increase or decrease in the length of the gland structure, and the other 'of said adjusting means comprising a threaded adjustment for providing a limited variation of theroverall length of the said gland structure. l Y

2. In a stuflng box for packing for a shaft or the like,a telescopic gland structure therefor substantially enclosing the shaft, a plurality of adjusting means for varying the length of said gland structure, one of said adjusting means comprising a step adjustment providing a substantial koverall increase or decrease in the length of the gland structure, and the other of said adjusting means comprising a threaded adjustment for providing a limited Variation of the overall length of the Y said gland structure.

' Y 3. In a stuing box for packing and adapted to receive a stem or the like, a telescopic gland structure for engaging the packing therein, a plurality of adjusting means for varying the length of said -gland structure, one of said adjusting means comprising an adjustment limitedly rotatable providing a substantial overall increase or decrease inthe length of the gland structure, and

the other of said adjusting means comprising an adjustment freely rotatable for providing a limited variation of the overall length of the said gland structure. p

Y CHARLES R, CRANE, II.

ALFRED MUELLER.

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